So I Hear Ya Got Bread

So I Hear ya Got Bread? Category: Blogging
One of my dearest friends is involved with one of those Mega Churches. She talks endlessly about it and I suspect she may be in Love with the Pastor. She talks about him more than her own husband. Silly woman...

I have had my day of pledging my allegiance to form and functions so I try to be gentle with her and understand that it will take some time to find out that it doesn't matter where you worship....it's all about the Spirit of it and how far down into the truth you are willing to go. I have found if you really want to follow the truth...most times it's all going to be a personal revelation about yourself. For me...I find it's a healing of my Character Defects that I am better off without anyway. I guess what I am trying to say is finding and following God is really a no brain-er. Be prepared to change quietly over time and IN the meantime...you get to live life with all it's ups and downs....questions and answers...Sort of like Jeopardy...I'll take the truth for $1000 Alex....It's just like everything else. You get out of it what you put in....this knowing God thing.

For me..it has been no miracles or lightening bolts...no voices from the heavens...It's been more of an affirmation that there is something out there greater than me and whats best for me is all it wants. I don't like to put a name on God because I have met God through people who say they have no God at all..

I do read the Bible a lot because I find it has most answers to my questions. Even if you didn't want to believe a word of it most people would admit that it has some pretty amazing wisdom. I was reading the story about the Loaves and Fishes. It's the story of a large gathering of people who had come to hear Jesus speak and there was some concern over how they were going to be fed. Obviously they had been there a while and who wants to listen to anybody on an empty stomach? I use to hate preachers who would preach past noon. It's hard to pay attention when all you can think about is your nearest Buffet.

One of my favorite things about Jesus is his use of the human condition (hunger in this case) to get a point across. The disciples approached him and told him of there concern over the hunger of the people. If 5000 showed up to hear him they were hungrier for more than a little bread....but...the issue of stomach hungry was taking precedent over spiritual hunger.
The story is in all the Gospels but I like it best in the book of John. It has more detail of the event. The young boy who was smart enough to bring lunch was approached and through the magic of kindness....there was more than enough to go around as there always is of God...more than enough to go around. Everyone ate until they were full....but that's another story.
Back to my Mega Church friend...she was telling about a miracle that had happened in this church. I won't go into detail but it involved finances or should I say cold hard cash. The jest of the whole story was that if we all attended...perhaps we could be blessed with cold hard cash as well. It brought to mind a scripture that I had been reading recently. John 6 verse 26....
Back to the Jesus and the gathering of people....(can you say adult ADD?) After everyone was fed and the gathering dispersed....Jesus went on his way but others decided to follow him further....Jesus had groupies.....(some preachers today have groupies...just like a Rock Star.) They caught up with him after looking a while. It talks about them going where they THOUGHT he was and then finally finding him where they didn't expect him to be...hmmm.... At that time a very strange conversation happened.

The groupies approach Jesus and say "Sir...how did you get here?" Now I think it was a little more than that. They had been on a wild goose chase after him and I am sure they were none to happy by the time they found him. It probably went more like...Damn Jesus...we looked everywhere for you....whats on the agenda today? Fish? Bread? Cold Hard Cash? The reason I say this is because Jesus answer was a little cold...He said "The truth of the mater is that you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you believe in me. But you shouldn't be so concerned about perishable things like food. No...spend your energy seeking eternal life that I, the messiah, can give you. God the Father has sent me for this very purpose."

The story goes on and on with them going back and forth about the whole bread thing. They told him the only way they would believe in him is if he gave them free bread every day of there lives. Poor Jesus was trying to get them to look at the whole situation from the spiritual...bread will come and go but seeking the truth will keep you fed and full even if you are hungry as hell....(my paraphrase.) So that brings me back to my Mega Church friend. Like me...at one point in my life...My Mega Church friend cannot see that she is following the bread....and not the kindness behind the whole event.

I will not plead my case to her. Like me...she will find her way. I believe that God doesn't need my help in untangling the religious mind. Most times we have to be IN it in order to get OUT of it so all will be well. It doesn't stop me from venting a little here on this MYSPACE blog. I have learned that the truth will set you free....free indeed. The only thing required of me is a small seed of belief for myself...and my Mega Church friend.